Combined shoe counter and shankpiece



Dec. 17, 1946. w. P. HERLIHY 2,412,773

COMBINED SHOE COUNTER AND SHANK PIECE Filed June 7, 1945 :9: Walder lfierrv' Patented Dec. 17, 1946 COMBINED SHOE COUNTER AND SHANKPIECE Walter P. Herlihy, Haverhill, Mass.

Application June 7, 1945, Serial No. 598,130 7 2 Claims.

This invention pertains to footwear and more especially to a combined counter and shank piece for shoes.

In order to preserve the initial lasted shape and to provide proper support for the foot, it is customary to stiffen the heel portion of the upper by means of a counter, usually interposed between the lining and outer element of the upper, and to provide a stiff shank piece extending from the heel end of the shoe forwardly substantially to the ball portion. Sometimes a socalled tuck piece of stiff material, conforming to the shape of the rear part of the insole, is arranged in registry with the rear part of the insole. Usual practice is to premould the counter prior to lasting, at the same time providing the counter with its lower marginal flange which, in the completed shoe, underlies the insole and through which the heel lasting tacks pass so as to anchor the counter securely to the insole. The shank piece is usually separate from the counter and must be held in place by additional tacks. Unless care be exercised in properly assembling and lasting the shoe, the forward end portions of the counter may become spread abnormally, thus causing the upper to bulge at the shank so that the shoe does not snugly embrace the foot nor have the neat trim appearance desired. Moreover, two separate operations are required in assembling the counter and shank piece with the other parts.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a combined counter and shank piece so designed that the spreading of the forward ends of the counter is substantially prevented. A further object is to provide a combined shank piece and counter which may be assembled with the other parts in a single operation, and which does not necessitate the employment of tacks (other than the lasting tacks) for holding the parts in place. A further object is to provide a combined counter and shank piece so designed as to perform the additional function of the tuck piece sometimes employed, the counter and shank piece merging with parts which collectively extend completely across the rear portion of the shoe from one side margin of the counter to the other, thus providing a level surface for the heel. A further object is to provide a combined counter and shank piece which may be made cheaply and inexpensively and by the employment of the same moulding dies which are used for moulding the counter only. Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed out in the following more detailed description and by reference to the accompanyingdrawing wherein Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the improved combined counter and shank piece;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the device show in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a plan View, to smaller scale, illustrating a blank useful in making the improved counter counter and shank piece.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral l designates a blank suitable for use in making the improved counter and shank piece of the present invention. This blank is made of sheet material of any kind suitable for the intended use and such as is customarily employed in making shoe counters. This material should be still, and shape-retaining under normal conditions, but capable of being moulded in a counter moulding press after having been made plastic or mouldable by appropriate treatment.

As illustrated, this blank is symmetrical with respect to its vertical axis (the terms vertical and horizontal being here employed merely for convenience in description but without any restriction as to the manner in which the device will be employed) and as shown comprises the oppositely directed wing portions 2 and 3 which are of like contour and dimensions. Each of these Wing portions has a lower, substantially straight edge 5. These edges, as here illustrated, diverge slightly upwardly from the horizontal, for example at an angle of approximately 3. The wings 2 and 3 have substantially straight end edges 6 perpendicular to the edges 5, and the lower part of the central portion 4 of the blank is provided with a central triangular notch l and triangular notches 1 disposed at opposite sides of the notch 1 so as to provide the downwardly directed triangular tabs 8 disposed symmetrically with respect to the vertical axis of the blank, the notches providing inclined inner edges I for the wings 2 and 3. The central portion 4 of the blank has a curved upper edge of substantially semi-elliptical contour, the major axis of the ellipse being horizontal, and preferably the margin of this curved edge is beveled asindicated at 9. This curved edge terminates at the points l0, and the wings 2 and 3 have upper convex edge portions l I and substantially straight upper edge portions ll which extend outwardly and intersect the end edges 6.

Having provided this blank, it is subjected to the customary treatment employed inpreparing a blank for counter moulding. Its central porfor example by staples I3 so that they cannot spread apart. Since the forward ends of the counter l are integrally joined to the wing portions 2 and 3, and since the wing portions are thus held permanently against separation, all danger that the forward portions of the counter will spread during assembly lasting or during use is eliminated. Moreover, the integral connection of the rear portions of the wings 2 and 3 with the counter provides a firm and solid support for the heel extending completely across the rear part of the shoe, and thus has substantially the same efiect as the introduction of a tuck piece, but without necessitating the provision of a separate part or the operation of putting it in place.

While one desirable embodiment of the invention has been illustrated by way of example, it is to be understood that the invention is broadly inclusive of any and all modifications falling within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A combined counter and shank piece comprising a unitary piece of still sheet material a part of which constitutes a moulded counter, a pair of like, shank-forming parts integrally joined to the lower portion of the counter at opposite sides respectively of the latter and arranged in the same plane edge to edge, said shank-forming parts having substantially straight, rearwardly divergent rear edges, the counter having a pair of triangular tabs integrally joined to its lower margin, and which fill the space between the divergent rear edges of the wing-forming parts, said tabs and the shankforming parts all being disposed substantially in the same plane, and fastener means permanently uniting the shank-forming parts.

2. A blank for use in making a combined shoe counter and shank piece, said blank comprising a unitary piece of stiff mouldable sheet material, said blank being symmetrical with respect to a vertical axis andcomprising a central portion whose upper edge is curved to a substantially semielliptical contour, with the major axis of the ellipse horizontal, the lower edge of said central portion beingprovided with notches defining a pair of triangular tabs, and shank-forming wings extending in opposite directions from said central part, said shank-forming wings having substantially straight lower edges diverging upwardly at an angle of approximately 3 from the horizontal and substantially straight inclined inner edges which converge upwardly.

WALTER P. HERLIHY. 

